


A Diamond to cut a Diamond and seal it with a Kiss

by Justawriter68



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Almost all of EXO are Figure Skaters, Coach Zhang Yixing | Lay, Dancing, Fanboy Jongdae | Chen, Figure Skater Kim Jongdae, Figure Skater Kim Minseok, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Ice Skating, M/M, Mentioned Cha Hakyeon | N, Past Injury, Pining, Slow Romance, Strangers to Lovers, Trust, pairs skating
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:49:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28827699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justawriter68/pseuds/Justawriter68
Summary: Minseok was at the peak of his career, when an injury he suffers during one of his programs has left him untrusting of the very ice that once helped him fly, and more importantly himself, he takes the last chance effort of seeing if skating in pairs can reinvigorate that confidence and his love for the ice again; during this process he finds more than that with another talented skater, Jongdae, by his side.
Relationships: Kim Jongdae | Chen/Kim Minseok | Xiumin, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25
Collections: Vargavinter Round 1





	A Diamond to cut a Diamond and seal it with a Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> Hi~ This is my self prompt entry for Vargavinter's first round, I would like to thank the mods for a great first round and fantastic support! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this, and I hope that I've done the sport justice, the research was a little long, but I think it was well worth it! 
> 
> Enjoy this first part, and I'll hopefully see you soon after reveals for chapter two, so bookmark or subscribe!
> 
> Song that is used for the test by Yixing, and a later practice session:
> 
> [Sync Test music. ](https://youtu.be/Avjrlb-6m6Q)
> 
> Until next time!

The cold of the ice and the sound of music thumps dully in the forefront of his senses. There's something about it that's almost routine, it's something that was integrated into the very tissues of his blood. At one point it's something that he could honestly say was as easy as breathing, that being on the ice was something that was Minseok himself. 

And his relationship was something that he could trust. It had never let him down and had always been there to let him fly and achieve heights which he had never thought possible.

Until it didn't, and then amongst other turmoil during his career, for the first time he found himself firmly planted by gravity. 

He had fallen, and he wasn't sure if there was anyway for him to get out of it. 

And there it is—that familiar feeling of the muscles in his legs preparing to fire him up into the air, the combination of a quad into a toe loop which at one time he found as easy as breathing. 

But as has become the usual, he disengages. The built-up energy instead is used to send him gliding around the outskirts of the rink. He circles it a couple of times before he finally slows down and decides to call it a day, the ice having numerous gashes and piles of slush thrown around from his hours of abuse to the formerly smooth surface. He exits the rink, putting on the colored plastic blade guards . They slide on easily as he catches his breath, fingers and face warm from the exercise. 

Minseok removes an earbud from his ear, the music still playing softly from one of the cords hanging down. 

"Hey, Superstar." 

The voice is familiar. Minseok's slight frown of concentration immediately turns into a slight smile as he recognizes a friend standing in front of him. 

"Yifan..." He walks forward, grabbing his jacket off of the bench. "What are you doing here." 

The taller man lets out a slight laugh. "Don't tell me that you've forgotten that today we have our last PT session, at least for a while?" A sharp eyebrow raises in slight question, an expression of fake hurt crossing over his face. 

Minseok looks at his phone to turn off the music, removing the other earbud to rest beside its mate.The date did indeed confirm that he had a PT session today. 

"I'm so sorry, I've been in my head too much lately." Minseok pockets his phone. 

Yifan waves him off, placing his hands inside of his own jacket. "You looked good out there." His shoulders slightly point towards the ice. 

At that Minseok has to at least roll his eyes a little. He knows that he looked anything but great, at least by his standards, and he's sure that if any of his skating colleagues were able to see him now they might just be disgusted with his progress. 

Although gratefully or perhaps even more on the side of being cowardly, he'd been spared the experience of having to see them or hear from them again outside of the cards and other get-well messages he'd been given when he'd first gotten injured. 

"Please, I probably looked like a baby deer trying to find purchase on the ice." He shoulders his bag, the weight once comforting, as he knew that he had come and done a good day's work. 

If his coach could see him now. 

Yifan sighs, and then just gestures for Minseok to follow him back into the treatment room. It's a place that he had gotten almost all too comfortable with in the past year, from the smell of the medicated ointments, tapes, and various other tools used for PT. It had the smell of a hospital, but as if there were a bunch of athletes in it all the time. 

It would be something that wasn't too far off in this sense. 

As usual the room is empty, as well as the facility. Minseok had been lucky enough to at least retain his access to the training facility he had grown accustomed to in his adult career. 

His home away from home. 

"Any pain lately?" Yifan questions, grabbing a notepad and pen from a table nearby as Minseok made himself more comfortable. 

He shakes his head. "No... it's a little sore, if anything, sometimes." 

Yifan nods, mumbling something akin to an affirmation as he writes the words down on the paper with careful strokes. Minseok knows that the Sports Physician's Korean wasn't the best at times, especially when rushed with writing. 

"What about when making your jumps?" Yifan meets his eyes then, one hand resting against the shifting material of his pants as he waits for a response. 

Minseok doesn't want to admit that every time he had gone to try and go for a jump, his mind merely replayed the incident, his leg going out from under him in an almost mocking HD, as if it were from the point of view of the very camera crew that was used to shoot their performances and capture their every move. 

And they did just as they were paid to do. 

But Minseok knew his silence was enough, and he could tell that Yifan had seen him attempting to at least try and do one thing before ultimately chickening out. 

But Yifan doesn't say anything more, and merely sets down his clipboard, and begins to tell Minseok where he needs him to begin their session. This one is much easier than the first, where Minseok had barely been able to have the therapist manipulate his leg without feeling like he was sawing it off with every slow repetitive movement.

He knows that his injury physically might be completely healed, but his mindset was a completely different thing. 

"Good..." Yifan looks pleased. "You're almost back to being a pretzel."

Minseok smiles. "Well, at least my flexibility still somewhat works... but that's all thanks to you... you're an amazing physical therapist." He sits up from being on his back. 

Yifan clicks his tongue. "I know... you were a big part of that. Thankfully you kept with the program and did as you were supposed to." He shakes his head. 

"What? Worried I was going to be difficult?" 

"You had no idea... I've worked with many skaters with your prestige, and trust me... you definitely deserve all of your praise." Yifan slightly pats Minseok's shoulder. "Alright, to the treadmill?" 

Minseok lets out a slight groan at that. "Do I have to? It's my last session." 

"For now," Yifan reminds. "Don't stop being my star student now, even if you are older than me, you can't pull that excuse now." 

Minseok merely smiles and walks over to the treadmill. It's slightly less aggravating to his hips now, although every now and then it underlines the fact that he isn't in shape as he once was. 

"I think you're right... I'm almost a pretzel again." Minseok lets out a little huff. 

"Your hips getting tight again?" 

Minseok nods. 

"Then we'll slow down, and we'll end the session with a massage. If I know you, then I know you've been practicing for longer than should be humanly possible."

Minseok only smiles. "I do have somewhat of a standard to uphold after all, just because I'm out doesn't mean I should let everything go by the wayside, it's still exercise." He shrugs. 

Yifan nods in agreement. "You say you're the one that looks like a baby deer on ice when you've seen me try to be as graceful as you... I look like a bulldozer on skates. All I'm good for is hockey and I barely managed that." 

"That's something that I couldn't do," Minseok replies. "It's like football, but for ice. I think you'd have to be a glutton for punishment or something almost." 

Yifan snorts. "I can say the same about you skaters, I've seen the injuries, and the way your feet get banged up."

"Touché." 

Yifan's expression turns a bit serious then. "That being said, when are you returning?" 

Minseok looked at him. There were only a couple of minutes left of his walk. "Returning where?" 

Yifan gives him a look at the obvious dodge.It's as if he wants the answer drug out of Minseok, forced to say something that perhaps he hadn't actually vocalized to himself. "Space." Yifan sighs, sitting back in his chair, crossing his eyes. "The ice, genius." 

For a moment there's more silence, the sound of Minseok’s feet slapping against the belt of the treadmill, and then the slight buzzing from the flickering fluorescent bulb above their heads. For a moment, Yifan just looks at it in silence. 

"I... I don't know," Minseok admits, worrying his bottom lip. "Perhaps this was for the best, I wasn't sure if I was going to come back for another season, anyway. This just did it for me early."

The slight disappointment in the small sigh was audibly and perhaps painfully clear, as if coming from a friend. "Hyung, I've never known anyone else who loves the ice as much as you do... you're physically strong enough now to handle this, the injury is healed." 

The treadmill stops, and now there's nothing else to distract him from this talk.He knows that the other is right, he'd been back to about his regular strength for at least a month now, and with preseason training, he could be competition ready again. 

All of this would be ready at a simple phone call to the person who had told him not to rush his recovery, although he knows that time was now far past what he and his coach had expected him to have been gone for. 

"I've been trying to avoid saying anything... but people have been asking about you," Yifan says. "They expect that you'll return better than ever. I'm not trying to guilt you or anything. But I wouldn't be saying this if you didn't also have this expectation of yourself." 

Minseok could agree, there's a large part of him that longs to return to the ice fully, to the competition, his peers and all. But he also knows that if he did that now and was unprepared, then he would still be in the very same mental state that had contributed to his injury in the first place. 

When had his time on the ice stopped bringing him joy, and the excitement of discovering and learning something new about himself year after year? 

He had practically done it all. He'd been on the Olympic team more than once, won the metals and the accolades. He'd done more than what most people would in their lifetime. 

"I just... if I return... I don't feel as if there is anything for me to return  _ to." _ Minseok turns around to face Yifan.The admission is thick in his throat as he takes a seat down on the stilled device, the carpet below him a worn navy blue. "I don't know why I skate anymore, Fan... and that's scary, and I couldn't possibly return thinking that way." He runs a hand through damp hair. "If I did, I might as well not have returned at all..."

Yifan is silent, and Minseok can see that he is taking in his words, his eyes flickering around before he gestures for Minseok to once again follow him without another word. Again Minseok gets on the table, although this time lying on his stomach as Yifan begins to gently but thoroughly massage his injured leg and that side of his body with practiced motions. 

It almost seems like in a way it allows him to be able to think while doing this, similar to fidgeting with a pen in the hand, or tapping the fingers. 

"Why don't you try pairs skating?" Yifan suddenly offers.

The words cut through the sort of peaceful lull, and it has Minseok's eyes going completely alert again. 

_ "What?" _

"Pairs Skating... you're looking for something new, right? Isn't that new enough?" Yifan then moves up to Minseok’s shoulder, the balm cooling like it had been on his legs. 

Minseok is stunned speechless, though a small sound does escape him for the moment, perhaps it was a scoff. 

“What’s that look for? You could do it. Doesn’t your coach teach pairs too, when she’s not with you?” Yifan finishes up on his shoulder, wipes the excess cream off, and puts the athletic tape securely on Minseok’s shoulder. 

“I mean yeah… she does. But you know… I’ve always been in singles.” Minseok Pulls on his shirt. “This could do more harm than it would good.” 

Yifan sits back down in his chair, wiping his hands off with a cloth and writing some more things down before turning back to Minseok. “Look, I’m not saying you have to wake up tomorrow and decide you want to do it. I’m just saying, give it a thought is all.” He squeezes Minseok's shoulder. 

All Minseok can do is nod. They clean up, and Minseok leaves the space into the cooler night air as he heads to his car. During the drive, not many thoughts go through his mind, although there is the big glaring question of What exactly he's going to do about this whole situation.He knows that it isn't going to leave his mind even as he tries to tune it out by singing along to the songs on the radio. He also knows somewhere in his mind that Kris is right, he probably needs this more than he realizes to get back on the ice. 

If not now, then when? 

He might as well retire. 

Once Minseok gets home, Tan immediately greets him at the door with a small meow and a langid stretch as she makes her way towards him. Her fluffy black tail waves at the tip as she waits at his feet for her owner's attention as he kicks off his shoes. 

"Hey, Tannie... did you miss me?" 

The feline answers with a generous purr under the force of his attention as he gently pets her. Minseok finally moves from the doorway after a few moments of petting Tan, the feline following dutifully behind him with soft pats against the hardwood floor of his apartment. He goes to the kitchen to fix himself and the cat their meals for the evening. Soon the darkened apartment is filled with the smells of cooking and the sound of soft music playing from a bluetooth speaker as he cooks up a chicken breast with a small side of pasta. 

He knows his coach would probably decide to scold him, especially once she saw the wine in his hand, but he can't bring himself to really mind treating himself. He turns on the television, immediately showing a figure gliding across the ice in an all too familiar fashion for him. 

He finds himself immediately being dragged into the replay of last year's championships, recognizing some of the faces that are being shown. Among the names on the screen is his own. 

There's a slight anxiety with this. Having seen this tape many times, he knows that the competition after this one would lead him to his current predicament, after what was nearly a perfect run of his routine that year. 

He remembers being the last to go after Junmyeon, who scored high technically as he always did. The man is always as meticulous with his skating as he is with everything else in real life, and in this competition he moved into first place after the scoring, taking down Luhan from his seat in the first place spot.

Minseok smiles briefly then, wondering how the feisty skater is doing at the moment. No doubt he's hard at work like the rest of his colleagues, preparing for another competition season. 

With a deep breath and a deeper swig of wine, he watches himself skate onto the ice. The black unitard glitters underneath the lights along with the slicked back coif of his then honey blond hair, a complete contrast to the midnight black he dyed it and kept it for the past year or so. 

Watching his routine, he can see everything he was feeling at the time, his sadness showing in the almost robotic movements. 

He wonders if anyone in the crowd could see it too. But based on the cheers, he doubts not.

Minseok isn't able to stomach any more of the program and flips the channel right as it zooms in on him, thanking the crowd with a crystalline smile, choosing to watch whatever was on the food network instead. Even if he can't have most of the food at the moment that they were cooking, he could at least appreciate it from a distance. 

However, not even this distracts him from the itch at the back of his mind. By the time he finishes his dinner, still curled up on his couch with Tan sitting at his feet, cleaning her paws, he finds himself scrolling through his phone, looking at his social media. As expected, his time lines are full of his colleagues showing off clips or pictures of themselves at their rinks, practicing, conditioning, striving to be the best they can be. 

Minseok even dares to check some of the official Skate accounts as they had made a statement about the season starting soon. In the comments, he can see some of the enthusiasts who followed him asking about him, whether he was going to be in any of the lineups this season. It's much the same under his last picture, over six months ago now. Some of the comments are wishing him well and telling him to take all the time that he needs to come back. 

But ultimately, it's all the same: come back. 

Like Yifan had said, they were searching for him even if it wasn't even in the most overt or pushy of ways. Maybe they're afraid if they push too much, he would just decide to take the leap and leave altogether. 

Perhaps that's the thought that has him opening the link Yifan had sent him before he can think otherwise. He plugs his headphones into his ears as he waits for the video to finish spooling the little white circle over the thumbnail.Then someone's standing in the middle of the ice, in a tight athletic long sleeve shirt with black pants disappearing into the opening of the skates, newly sharpened steel glistening against the dull of the ice. 

The sign that perhaps this wasn't the skater's first attempt at this. 

Minseok's eyes lazily drift to the description bar, surprised, but at the same time not, to see that this person was doing a cover of his routine. But for some reason it still sends a jolt through him when the first notes of the song start playing, the very ones that had been playing just a few moments ago on his television. 

Maybe it's the way that this skater demanded the attention that the song did with just a single glance, but watching the routine, he soon finds himself losing the analytical eye that he would usually keep in this circumstance, and instead lets himself fall into the performance. Watching this man do what he had once felt, flying, moving across the ice like he was a brush on a canvas and he was going to make anew what was already there. 

Once the performance was over, Minseok found himself staring at the screen for a long while just at the ending frame, this skater with his arms up greeting the ceiling with his hands as if he would touch it. Although with what he just watched, Minseok would really believe that he actually had for a moment.

He tries to sort through his feelings. Although it was far from the polished, technical, force that Minseok had molded that routine into, this other skater had all of the passion and the other attributes that he and his other colleagues had. And there was something that this other man had during his skating that Minseok had not had for a long while. 

Joy. 

The pure unadulterated joy in his eyes, with every stroke across the ice. 

Minseok's phone screen lights up again as he presses it to his ear, listening to the ring a couple of times before it picks up. 

"Coach... we need to talk." 

***

Minseok waits for the silence in the rink to cease, as the person he knew as his coach continues to just stare at him with an unreadable expression. The petite woman is a force of nature in that regard. 

"Pairs Skating." 

Minseok nods, still hanging over the edge of the rink walls as he was on the ice getting some skating in when his coach had arrived, The reunion had been a joyous one for the most part, that is until he had broken the news. As he waits for imposing dark eyes to finish thinking, he can feel the chill of the ice below him, and hear the sounds of skates hitting the ice and other things. 

Behind him he can feel Sehun lurking, the younger skater having been doing so ever since Minseok had arrived to skate. 

“You?” 

Minseok sighs. “Yes, coach. Me.” 

She lets out a sigh. “What’s going on, Min… what gave you this idea?” She searches his eyes once again. 

Minseok shrugs. “I thought that it would be something different.” It's the safe answer, as he's not yet ready to reveal the entire truth here in front of other prying ears. 

As much as he appreciates his other peers at his skating rink. 

His coach is getting ready to open her mouth again to speak when they're interrupted by Sehun stopping on the side of the rink, sending a cold kick back across the barrier. 

"Are you coming back, Hyung…?" 

Minseok smiles a little, brushing some of the powdered ice from his coat. "Hun-ah..." He had been sensing the eyes on him since he'd arrived, and knew that sooner or later Sehun was going to lose patience with the looks he had been throwing over in their direction since Minseok's conversation had started with their coach. 

Sehun crosses his arms then, face flushed with the obvious work he had been putting in since he's been here. His black bangs are sticking a little to his forehead, his whole outfit a sleek black all the way down to his skates. 

"It's a serious question... you've been gone too long." His brow furrows and his lip slightly sticks out with the words. 

"Oh Sehun, go run your drills," their coach inserts herself, tilting her head toward the rest of the rink. 

Sehun lets out a slight huff, perhaps rolling his eyes slightly. "Yes, coach." With that, he skates off once again down the rink. 

"That kid..." The coach shakes her head, although her glare is fond. 

"Talented," Minseok remarks, "and he only improves each year... His senior debut will be a force." He turns his head back to the woman who had largely been his mentor through the years. 

She hums in agreement. "You know why he's been adamant?" 

Minseok nods. "Of course. I promised him I would critique his next program." He sighs. "But that was before..." 

His coach nods, simply stopping him from saying anymore with a wave of her hand. 

He turns his attention back from the ice once again to her face, age only showing itself in the smallest ways.She had continued to take care of herself even though she hadn't been on the ice seriously in years. He knew that her physical appearance was still very much important to her, in the same way it was to all skaters. 

In a way that could be toxic if taken too far. 

"So, will you help me?" 

Her dark eyes search his face again, and he knows that she's searching for any ounce of doubt in his eyes, a look that he had grown accustomed to whenever he wanted to push himself to that next level and she had to be sure he wasn't being rash with the decision. Finally she lets out a resolute sigh, her attention turning back to the rest of the skaters in the rink. 

"If it gets you back on the ice safely, then I'll help you." 

Minseok smiles. "Thank you, coach." 

A small curve of her lips is all that he catches before her expression returns to that watchful and careful one. "Now go run a drill, I can see you're out of shape. Be careful, and don't push yourself too hard." 

He smiles a little again. "Yes, coach." He pushes off of the wall, feeling lighter than he actually had in awhile. 

There's a bubbling excitement in his veins at the sight of a new door in the horizon. 

***

Within the week, his coach has gotten several people lined up as an audition of sorts it seems, which requires him to have some type of anonymity. He sits in sunglasses, far away from where she's watching rinkside with that all too familiar clipboard in her hands, something that everyone under her tutelage had come to be scared of at some point in time. Even he gets shivers time to time from the thought of it. 

But as for the auditions, Minseok is beginning to lose a little hope. Those who had shown up so far, he already knows wouldn't be a fit for him, and he can see by the way Coach sets her shoulders that she's made the same decision after seeing the first minute of the routine that they've prepared, both male and female.

She works her way over from the side of the rink after the most recent candidate had cleared from the surface, now leaving nothing but the echoing sound of her feet through the chilled space. 

"Well... that was it." She sighs a little. "I think you already know what I think."

Minseok nods, sighing a little himself. Perhaps it was really foolish for him to assume that something like this could happen in this amount of time, as most partners have been skating together since they were young. But there have been many skaters that have changed partners between seasons, so it isn't uncommon as long as the skill is there. 

"I don't know why I thought this wasn't going to be too hard." Minseok shakes his head. 

Coach smiles, a tiny amount of her teeth showing. "Well, you have another person to think about... not just yourself, and the skill has to be almost level with yours." She drums her nails against the plastic surface of the clipboard in her hands. "I'm still not sure about this idea of yours... but you've always been one to push yourself." 

Their eyes meet then.

"I just hope that this doesn't bring you and your potential partner down with you should this not work out," she says. 

Anything else Minseok would have said is interrupted by the door opening and a voice flowing in. 

"Hello?"

They both watch as a man enters the space, looking around for what Minseok assumes to be them, or rather just his coach. 

"Yes?" Coach descends the steps, giving Minseok one last look. 

The man turns at her voice, mouth curling up into a friendly smile as she gets closer. 

"I'm here for the pair audition?" The man shrugs his bag a little more securely on his shoulder, hands tightening around the strap a little in anticipation of her answer, it would seem. 

"Right, please warm up." His coach says after searching him over for a moment. "Do you have a track you have prepared?" 

The man jumps up and tells her a track name that Minseok can't really hear. 

There's something that Minseok is finding familiar about this man.He can't place his finger on it, although it's totally possible that he had seen this skater at other competitions in passing, or at year end banquets. Perhaps it was even more recently, with the way his brain was trying to rapidly draw up a connection. 

He's soon jolted out of his thoughts when a familiar track begins playing through the speakers. He used it as his long program from last year, and his attention is immediately drawn to the ice. He missed this skater doing any type of warm up before moving across the ice with movements that Minseok could probably still do in his sleep if he really wanted to in the moment. 

It takes his brain a minute to recognize his own routine, to see the movements performed with this skater's own style, a lot faster in some aspects than he had been able to in a while.But what's most clear is the distinct lack of fear, and the amount of fun that he himself was missing.That's where it clicks for him as the other man works his way through the routine, performing a pretty toe loop into a triple axel in place of a quadruple salchow in one section.

But the stepwork is really where his speed shines through. Although he's fast, it isn't sloppy in any meaning of the word. 

This is the same guy from the video that Yifan had sent him, the one that he thought Minseok would like. 

Minseok would definitely say that watching him skate isn't any less enjoyable in person, and it's at that moment that he knows what he's going to say. He's made his decision long before the routine is even finished with the skater catching his breath in the middle of the ice. 

The answer is on the tip of his tongue. 

And looking at his coach, he can see that she's approving of the performance too.

"Quite brave of you to perform a routine I know like the back of my hand," the coach comments.

The man smiles, brushing black hair from his forehead, the length enough to make it curl at the ends or maybe it's a perm of some sort. He skates over, still slightly flushed from his performance, and Minseok pays attention to his facial features. Prominent cheekbones are currently highlighted in a slight sheen of sweat, and warm brown eyes are currently curved up into a smile as his lips continue to do the same. 

"There's no reward without risk... that's what I always hear. Plus, it was a fun routine, so why not?" He stands upright with his hands on his waist as his chest heaves slightly. 

Minseok can tell when his coach smiles, and he does the same. 

"What's your name? I forgot to ask before we started." She taps her pen against the clipboard. 

The man bows, seemingly blushing a little more at having seemingly forgotten about the introduction himself. "Kim Jongdae, ma'am." 

"Oh, you're Yoo's kid..." His coach almost sounds amused as Minseok begins working his way down from his perch hidden amongst the chairs. "What are you doing here?" 

Jongdae shrugs a little bit, but it's as if he tried to stop the action, remembering who it was exactly that he was speaking to at the moment. "Coach said I needed something different. So, here I am. I just hope this isn't  _ too _ different." 

Minseok finally makes it down to their level, the room feeling a lot chillier than it was at his seat, although he misses whatever she is about to say next as she turns to him, gesturing for him to take a step closer. 

"I know a lot of the information about this audition was very vague, and there is a reason for that." 

Minseok pulls off his hood and sunglasses giving Jongdae a slight greeting bow. "That was some great skating. I'm Minseok..." 

"I know—" Jongdae sputters out, and then another blush over takes his face as he clears his throat, going for a far more controlled response. "And, uh, thank you!" He scratches the back of his head nervously. 

"I guess I'll formally ask you, but... would you be okay with trying this? Pairs skating? It’s different from my norm, or even your norm but..." Minseok trails off there, not really knowing what else to say. It's an odd situation for anyone. 

Jongdae's eyes light up and he nods. "Of course, it would be an honor... but, if you don't mind me asking, why?" Jongdae's brow furrows a little, delight being covered by the new emotion being expressed. 

Minseok lets out a little huff, then gives Jongdae a small smile. "Like you said, I need something different." 

Jongdae nods, posture relaxing a bit as he continues to stand on the ice, although now he's moving forward to collect his jacket slung over the walls of the rink, putting it on with a bit of nervous energy running through him. 

"Perfect," Coach says, her voice sounding pleased. "I'll get into contact with your coach, although please give him a heads up ahead of time. Okay, Jongdae?" 

Jongdae nods the moment his head comes through the jacket, putting the covers on his skates as he finally steps off the ice and onto the black rubber mat beneath their feet. "Yes, ma'am." 

Minseok watches as his coach gives another amused smile. "And please don't call me ma'am. Coach or Mrs. Song works just fine." 

Jongdae nods again with another smile. "Yes, Mrs. Song." 

Pleased, the coach returns his nod, then turns to Minseok. "And you go and rest up... don't do anything to injure yourself beforehand."

"Yes, Coach." Minseok bobs his head as she passes him, giving another pat on his shoulder, leaving him and Jongdae alone in the space for a moment, nothing but silence hanging between them.

Jongdae gathers his things, his eyes occasionally flicking back up to Minseok as if he were trying not to stare too long. "So... I guess I'll see you soon?"

Minseok nods. "I'll see you then." He smiles. 

Jongdae gives one his own smiles back, looking like he wants to say something else before he just gives another wave leaving the ice rink completely, once again leaving Minseok alone with nothing but the ice. 

It seems like everything was going to slip into place. 

***

As it turns out, the next time Minseok would see his partner to be would be in a couple of weeks, allowing for his mind to begin creeping back into the familiar stages of doubt creeping back into his thoughts as he had waited for Coach to give him more details. But other than that, he checked the few social media pages he had to find that Jongdae had been following him on instagram. 

Although he didn't know exactly how long that had been. 

Its with a wince that he followed the other man back, taking a moment to scroll through the pictures on the page, much more updated than his own, as the last photo was only posted a week ago and showed him taking a selfie after taking a hike, and there were a few more videos and pictures of him ice skating from his active skating. 

In comparison, the last photo he had on his was a lovely picture of Tan from well over a year ago now. 

He was sure that his recent activity in following Jongdae would not go unnoticed by those who followed him as fans of his skating. 

Minseok also took the moment, to look at his fellow skaters pages, something he had avoided doing for the most part, though they immediately popped up on his screen, Junmyeon's post showing up first, and it confirmed for him that the skater was well underway with his preparations for the upcoming season. 

All of the movements were as sharp and fluid as Minseok remembered the other man's skating to be, he had his technical skills down to almost robot like error, and Minseok was sure that if human error wasn't a think Junmyeon would probably be as close to technically perfect as one could get. 

Seeing the post makes him smile as he thought about his peers and Junmyeon who he did consider one of his rivals, there had been times where his technical score seemed as if it couldn't be beaten, or that Junmyeon had taken the technical score by just a few times, giving Minseok a few silver metals during the times before the larger world wide competitions start.

And then the next post was one from Luhan, also showing off the fact that he too was beginning his training in his home rink in Beijing. 

Luhan's skating is as pretty as he was named to be, the Fairy of the ice. 

Although Minseok thinks that some of Luhan's fans would be surprised by how crass he could actually be off it, he could hear the cursing from here. 

Minseok scrolled for a few more moments before he eventually went to bed that night, choosing to keep his mind occupied by keeping busy, building his strength, until this day finally came that he would finally be able to put himself back into action, although some of his excitement was dampened by him warming up and trying a couple of jumps, feeling the familiar power of his legs ready to lift him up into the air, but ultimately falling short. 

And he knew himself that he would need to get over this as these skills were like a knife, if he didn't keep them sharpened they would become dull. 

His attention is pulled away from his thoughts when he hears the doors open, looking up to see Jongdae approaching the rink with a smile, Minseok meets him at the side, slowing his glide with a break. 

Jongdae also looked mildly concerned, looking around. "Am I late?" 

Minseok shakes his head. "No, I was just early... a habit. I was warming up a bit, Yixing isn't even here yet."

Jongdae nods, the tension in his smile easing a bit, as he sets his bags down, removing the sweatshirt he'd been wearing, folding it neatly by his back as he puts on his skates before joining Minseok on the ice after a brief stretching session.

The sounds of their skates akin to chalk writing smoothly across a chalkboard, as Jongdae made a lap around the rink for a brief warm up, gliding effortlessly before he once again came to a stop beside Minseok again. 

Jongdae searches him again, although Minseok wasn’t sure if it was in apprehension or something else. 

“You look like I’m going to bite you.” Minseok remarks with a smile. 

Jongdae chuckles a little awkwardly, a flush increasingly making itself known on the apples of his cheeks and up to the tips of his ears. “Ah, well… it’s not that, Minseok-ssi.” 

“Hyung.” Minseok smiles when Jongdae looks at him a little more stunned. “Call me hyung, we’re going to be spending a lot of time together after all.” 

Jongdae’s flush gets a little higher, but this time it’s accompanied by one of those smiles that he was attributing to be a part of the other man’s overall demeanor. “Okay, Hyung…” 

From then on Jongdae seems a little more relaxed even as Minseok watches him glide around on the ice warming himself up, skills coming more into clear view, he had power just like he had seen before, and the accuracy was still there despite the speed of his skating, every twirl, leap and skill is nearly flawless. 

Minseok stops his assessment, and begins skating around the rink himself, not to let his muscles get too cold, he was all to aware of the looks that Jongdae was giving him while he maneuvered around the ice, simple jumps, and turns leading his way until he gained enough speed to get into a couple of the jumps that he had gotten comfortable with again, although he knew some of them didn't get quite to the height that was necessary for competition standards, he had been proud himself just getting that far without the bitter taste of anxiety climbing its way up his throat at the thought of completing it. 

However this wasn't the case with a quad, he could feel that he had the speed to do it, in fact his muscles seemed almost anticipatory for the action itself, as if his legs were going to complete the action for him without having to think about it. 

The way that it had mostly been. 

But instead the bile of anxiety builds its way through the burn of his muscles and he just continues to glide on eventually stopping with a slight spray of slush, the cold air coming back into stillness as he stopped billowing through it. 

"Look at you two, already warmed up..." 

Both Jongdae and Minseok turn their attention towards the new voice, to see a man standing at the rink, watching them with a smile on his face. 

Minseok bows. "Hello, you must be Mr. Zhang?" he skates closer to the walls of the rink where the man was standing. 

"Please, call me Yixing." he laughs with another smile. "But yes, I'm Zhang Yixing. And it's a pleasure to meet you." 

Jongdae gives the man a bow and a smile in response to his own. "Likewise." 

Yixing claps two gloved hands together. "Well since you're already out and warmed up, I suppose we can start here before talking a little more. If that's alright with you." 

Minseok and Jongdae turn to look at each other before responding to a nod each. 

"Great!" another smile lights up his face, dimples showing up with the action, something that Minseok hadn't noticed the first time that he was smiling. "Luckily, you two are seasoned skaters with the skills necessary to start this process. However, that still doesn't mean there isn't anything left to learn, as I'm sure you're aware pairs skating can be a bit of a different realm than what the both of you are used to." 

Minseok nods, he had briefly watched competitions at home of the pairs skating whenever he had been free, it had always been always sort of a marvel for him to watch two people trust each other that way, much like dancing, except you had the dangers of a metal blade coming to cause you injury, especially with some of the maneuvering he had seen. 

It had him give another level of respect to the sport that they all enjoyed. 

"That being said, It's important for me to see if you have chemistry, or at least the potential. Teamwork is one thing, but chemistry is another."

"And you can't be taught, chemistry." Jongdae remarks. 

Yixing turns to him with yet another warm eyed smile. "Exactly, I don't expect you to be completely in sync on your first day. But, I'm just going to play some music and let you take control, keeping in mind that you should try and interact with each other somewhat." 

Minseok nods, he thinks he could do that, although the thought of trying to interact was something that he was trying to workout, even the moves that he did by his lonesome, were planned out and timed. 

But then again he supposes that this was still much like dancing in a way, you just have to remove them from the ice and their skates. 

Although Minseok thinks that he wouldn't really know what to do in that situation either. 

Minseok skates himself into the middle of the ice Jongdae doing the same starting just a few feet away, not too close, and not too far away either. 

Soon a piece works its way through the speakers, it was unlike anything that Minseok had ever trained with, his brain was ready for the piano, and soft accompaniment that classical music so often touted, but here was obvious a sharp percussive bass weaving with the strings and other elements that he was familiar with. 

It wasn't too much to get going through, Minseok soon finds himself skating along to the song, letting himself go with the beat, and slowly picking up speed, he and Jongdae had gone in opposite directions but he could see, the other skater coming his way quickly as he smoothly stepped his way through the song, and Minseok tries not to be too surprised when they both fall into a smooth Spread Eagle with each other, Jongdae far enough away that they don't bump into each other. 

He hadn't expected fireworks or anything like that, but he could say that there is something there, warm and tangible beneath his hands despite all of the ice around them. 

Next Minseok reaches out a hand, and Jongdae as if anticipating the action already has his arm outstretched, Jongdae's wrist slightly in his grasp as he spins him away, and then they each go into a triple axel, smoothly landing on one leg gliding backwards, although they were watching each other, Minseok before he even realizes it hears that the music's over, their skating is over and that has led them back into the center of the ice, this time facing each other a little closer, each of their chests rising and falling just as the last lyric of the song rings out. 

Although Minseok briefly finds himself locked onto Jongdae's eyes, that is soon broken when claps break through the air. 

Bringing both of their attention to Yixing who was smiling again, his eyes alight with a different happiness this time as they both went over to him standing by the rink. 

“Well, that was certainly more than I could’ve ever asked for…” He smiles, looking pleased Minseok notes with a bit of relief.

Jongdae nods agreement, his chest still going up and down as he tries to calm down from their skate, although it hadn’t been all that impressive skills wise. 

Yixing smiles again. "Well let's sit down and chat a bit." 

The pair nod and follow him from the ice, taking a seat up in the little room right before the entrance of the rink, it held vending machines, it was a place for parents to watch their kids progress. Something that once upon a time his own mother had done while sitting in the warmth of the building's heating system, while he worked towards his path of perfection. Having soon started more private lessons with a coach song once his parents realized that he was first of all naturally good at it and two enjoyed it. 

And then learned to enjoy it more under the circumstance of competition. 

He had experiences he knew most kids didn't get to experience at that age. 

It was hard work, but it had been well worth it. 

Yixing sits down in one of the chairs, setting his clipboard on the table in front of him. "Well, as i had said before, you two already have the fundamentals. You're both veteran skaters, you especially Minseok." he leans forwards a little more. "So, I must know, why have you been drawn to pairs." 

Minseok's brows furrow in surprise. "Coach didn't tell you?" 

Yixing shakes his head. "I told Coach Song that I wanted to hear it from the both of you unblemished." 

Minseok is silent for a moment, the answer was easy for him really, he could just tell him, it wasn't anything embarrassing. But there was something at the back of his mind that worried that his answer wouldn't be good enough or something and then the other man would just leave without another word. He worries his lip a little bit still trying to word his answer in his mind, It was all so simple yet complicated at the same time. 

"I'm here to expand my experience... not to mention my coach says that I need to challenge myself." Jongdae answers. "I think that there's a lot to be gained from skating with someone else, and not just in the context of your fellow rink-mates or competition." Jongdae scratches his head again, the tips of his ears a little pink. "I guess I'm trying to see what's next..." He shrugs then, eyes darting away from the both of them. 

Yixing nods, a smile on his face. "And you, Minseok?" 

Minseok sighs a little, leaning back against his chair, feeling the material slightly snag on one of the metal rivets holding the supportive spines to the surface of the back. "I... I am trying to find my joy again. That's the simplest way to put it." He finally says. 

Yixing nods again, eyes searching them, but his smile never fades as he smiles. "Excellent, and I guess it's only fair that I tell you my reasoning for being here. I suppose like any coach, I love to see athletes, and especially those under my care succeed and thrive." he smiles a little more, the whites of his teeth showing briefly. "And for this case... I can't say that I wasn't interested that one, if not the most known skater in Korea, wanted to do pairs." Yixing's eyes flicker between them. "I admire you both wanting to take on something out of your comfort zone." 

Minseok smiles a little at that.

"Well, who would expect this to be easy?" Jongdae shifts in his chair, taking another sup of his water from his bottle. 

Yixing makes a noise with his mouth. "You'd be surprised... but that being said, if it's not too much today, I would like to start you on some basic skills." 

Minseok looks at Jongdae who in turn had looked at him at the same time, and he could see in his eyes the unbridled excitement at the thought of learning something new already. 

"Sounds good to me." Minseok replies. 

***

As it turns out, basic skills started off of the ice, and in a mat filled and foam pit filled room. Something that Minseok was becoming more and more grateful for at the moment as he found having to throw Jongdae, was a little bit of a terrifying experience for him. 

Finding just the right amount of pressure, and force not to send Jongdae crumpling into the mats was a little tricky, that and he had been a bit worried about his shoulder going off of the rails, although so far there had been no pain or weakness, he was thankful to Yifan for having such a regimented and strict program along with the massages he had been getting in between. 

Upon their arrival to the space, it had been determined quickly that Minseok would be the one doing the lifting and all of that, not that it made Jongdae's job any easier as he had to be the one to trust that Minseok wouldn't just completely drop him on his ass, that and some of the poses that Jongdae was going to have to maintain in the air for the briefest moments, making it look as effortless as they already did. 

Minseok was having trouble imagining what, and how this was going to work on the ice although he had seen plenty of this watching other shows on his days off, it was all possible. 

But looking at the logistics they were going through right now, it almost seemed all but. 

"Alright... thats pretty good. Let's take a break." Yixing claps a little, resting his clipboard on his stomach. 

Minseok nods, wiping a little bit of the sweat that had built up on his brow away before he reaches a hand out to help Jongdae up, who groans a little. 

"Man... who ever thought that learning how to do something that we already know how to do would be this difficult." Jongdae shakes his head, curly hair falling to his forehead as he does with a little sigh. 

Minseok chuckles. "If this has shown me anything, it's that I need to start going to the gym more and working on my upper body strength." he rests his arms on his hips, feeling the slight burn come and go in his arms. 

Jongdae starts stretching right across from him. "Man I'm going to be sore."

Minseok looks over in concern. "I haven't been grasping too hard have I?" 

Jongdae shakes his head assuring him. "No... it's just that we've been at the repetitive motions, not to mention the poses, it's going to take my body a while to get used to that." He stretches his neck.

Minseok nods in agreement, at first they had practiced a few still poses, which were pretty simple, but getting the hand placement was a little bit of a challenge and he could only wonder how that was going to translate into being on the ice and moving.

Although they weren't adding too many more elements to the ones that they already knew, these were the ones that required absolute teamwork and focus on both of their parts, it was something that he and his brain were still trying to grasp their minds around. 

He knew that this was going to take a lot more research on his own later, watching those with whom he was going to skate against even to see how they were managing some of these feats, though the little that Minseok had been witness to, they all made it look like flowing water how each movement and grasp was translated into each other. 

He could only wonder if he would manage that level of trust when he couldn't even fully trust himself in some ways to pull this off. 

"Hyung... look at this." 

Minseok turns his attention from his thoughts to Jongdae, who was coming over to him with a phone in hand, he takes a sip from his water bottle. On the screen he can see that Jongdae was already looking at their competition, a routine from last year by Kim Jongin and Byun Baekhyun. 

“Wow…” Minseok releases a low whistle.

And it was true that on his screen currently was one of the most fluid things he had ever seen accompanied to a pop song, the shifts in between handles were effortless. Like they had practiced them together even in their sleep. 

“Agreed…” Jongdae sighs. “It’s like they’re water.”

"Do you think that we'll be able to do that?" 

Jongdae tears his attention from the screen, looking mildly offended. "Of course! You're the King of the Ice... and I'm me." He offers with a laugh.

Minseok shakes his head, smiling a bit hearing the name that he had been given during his time to the top. "Well that won't do... you can't just be  _ ‘and you' _ ." Minseok laughs. "You need a name too." 

Jongdae smiles a little, going on to pause the video on his screen. "Ah, like what?" 

Minseok thinks like a moment. "I don't know... maybe it'll come to you like mine did." 

Jongdae sighs a little. "Maybe... that would be quite iconic." 

"They say good things come to those who wait.” 

Jongdae looks thoughtful at those words, taking another sip of his water before they continue to watch the rest of the video, their skating in quite the elegant pose before the two are energetically hugging each other before the video cuts off there. 

"Ah, already looking at the competition?"

Minseok turns his head to see Yixing standing just behind them now, looking at the phone screen. "Yeah." 

"Kim Jongin and Byun Baekhyun, one of the only two similar pairs as of now in Pairs Skating." Yixing remarks. "What they lack in power, they make up for in their dynamic choreography and elegance." He crosses his arms. "They know how to put on a performance." 

Minseok nods again looking back at the now darkened screen. 

"As I thought... us," Jongdae points between him and Minseok. "isn't all that common is it?" 

Yixing gives a small smile and shakes his head. "No, it's not... just because of the skills required, this is especially true for female pairs. They have to be able to meet the element requirements, lifts and such, so it gets a little difficult." 

"I'm sure for men, it becomes a similar problem, one might be too tall to lift, or they might cancel each other out." Minseok remarks. "We got lucky." 

Yixing nods again. "Jongdae is lighter than you, even if he has a bit more muscle mass in his thighs." he claps their shoulders. "But don't worry too much about it, you aren't the first to shift into something new like this, pairs change partners sometimes." 

"Who are the other male pair?" Jongdae locks his screen, holding the device down by his side.

Minseok crosses his arms too, looking at the other man as well. 

"Do Kyungsoo and Park Chanyeol... I haven't had as much time to study them. But they are dynamic as well, intense programs full of power." Yixing taps his fingers against the surface of his clipboard, but his eyes sparkle a little bit as he looks back up at them. "But you're going to have the best of both worlds... and I know you can do it. You two already have that individually, you just need to get more comfortable marrying your skills." 

Minseok thinks for a moment, that all of this actually made sense, but at least now he knew of at least two targets that he would try to reach and beat those that were in a similar situation to his own. 

"Now are you ready to get back to work?" 

Both Minseok nod, and then the pair return to practicing, or more like Minseok getting more comfortable with a twist lift, which was something that he had to honestly say looked more terrifying on video when Yixing had originally showed them an example of the move. By the end of their first session with the mats, Minseok could proudly say that they had locked down four of the new elements that they had started today. And he was happy to report that he no longer felt like Jongdae was going to slip through his fingers on the way down, for now he tried not to think about how these new skills would translate eventually on the ice. 

"Are you feeling alright?" Minseok asks as they cool down in a couple of stretches. 

Jongdae nods. "At first I was feeling a little sick with the constant up and down, but it quickly subsided. But this moved a lot quicker than I thought that it would." Jongdae reaches a little farther forward on his split legs. "But I can say I am going to enjoy a warm shower tonight." 

Minseok related to that sentiment, he could feel the nice burn that signaled that he had good exercise, but at the same time in certain places he could tell his soreness was from the bit of out of shape that he had gotten into over his healing hiatus. 

"I thought that there were going to be a lot more... but apparently it's just adding on to what we know." Minseok pushes himself up from his own split, sitting upright on the mats. 

Jongdae makes a slight noise in agreement, his face now practically nose first to the floor before he finally sits up again. "I'm looking forward to trying out the death spiral once we get out on the ice, I thought that they've always looked cool!"

Minseok smiles a little, from there they depart for the night, Yixing telling them that they were going to start bright and early with some skating again before going over again what they had learned along with a couple of other new things. 

Minseok was looking forward to his new structured routine. 

***

The new routine he had been looking forward to soon turned into the norm, and he found himself getting up earlier and earlier with each rehearsal with excitement despite some of his personal misgivings, so far they had mastered the skills given to them learning on the mats, each lift, toss, and throw could almost be done with little effort for Minseok. And he was pleased that his early morning workouts in the gym before their practice was paying off, although he didn't go too hard, it was nice not to feel the burn so soon once he lifted Jongdae into the air. 

"Beautiful!" Yixing says in approval as Minseok drops Jongdae down from the lift he had him in, hands securely on his waist as he dropped into the ground again, slightly bouncing against the mats.

Jongdae smiles at him and raises his hands for a high five, which he returns after a little moment of shock. 

"I think I might be ready for you to put these on the ice soon, so you can get more comfortable with them there before we try more complex things." 

The words bring up the videos that Minseok had watched of other pairs, both familiar and traditional, some of the flips they did around each other before usually the female skater was set on the ground went by in a flash, but he couldn't help but wonder how long it had taken them to develop that perfection before they felt that they wouldn't slice the other with a blade. Though seeing his soon to be competition do it made him feel a little better, even if it was as Yixing said in Kyungsoo and Chanyeol's case was very intense. 

They left nothing on the ice. 

Something he related to once. 

Jongdae nods, hands resting against his hips, the clinging material of his T-shirt moving with him. "I'm not going to lie, I'm nervous about that... those transitions look wicked." 

Yixing huffs a little amused. "Well like, everything else, it's practice... besides that's essential, especially when we get into choreography." 

Minseok stops drinking from his bottle for a bit, fiddling with the plastic top on the bottle as he runs a hand through his hair, reminding him that it was either time to get a haircut or invest in hair ties. “I guess there’s nothing to do than to do it.” 

Yixing and Jongdae both give him a smile. 

“I like the way you think.” Yixing brings his clipboard forward. “Let's get back to it.” 

From then on they continue to work, and Minseok slowly finds himself slipping back into a sort of familiar groove. Happy with the way that he and Jongdae are eventually able to transfer their on mat skills onto the ice with movement, he could say it was a rush of excitement that he hadn't had in a while, this was only more enforced when he and Jongdae hit their first twist lift, and Jongdae didn't go crashing into the ice. 

The most nerve wracking skill that they were still working on was one of the lifts, where Jongdae would be the one standing on his thighs, it was a scary thought having the blades sitting so close to his crotch, but Jongdae turned out to be just as determined not to cut him as he was to no dropping him. 

"You picked up on that faster than I expected... most people let their fear get in the way once we take the padding off." Yixing remarks, the small puffs of his air curling in the frigid air. 

Jongdae shrugs a little. "Well, I'm focused on what I should be doing, instead of a what if." He smiles. 

Minseok smiles a bit. "It should be of no surprise, he's lightning fast on the ice." 

Jongdae's smile gets a bit wider, and Minseok notices the slight redness of his face increases a little with the words. "Thank you, hyung." 

Yixing claps. "Alright, do you just want to try that combination I taught you, but just add this at the end?" 

Minseok nods. "Sounds good." He looks at Jongdae. "Ready?" 

Jongdae nods eagerly taking his hand as they skate out into the center of the ice before separating and ending up into their opening poses, Minseok going onto his knees, feeling the cold through the thin material of his pants. 

Minseok takes a breath then, trying to clear all of the thoughts from his mind, his own doubts and focus on the beat of the music that he had become accustomed to while they moved their practice to the ice for the most part.

He knew that the choreography was coming sooner rather than later, and he can taste it on his tongue through the frigid air.

His first move has him pushing himself from his knee spinning around as he pushes forward once again to find Jongdae’s hand grasping on to his, the fingers simultaneously warm from their previous exercise, and at the same time cold from the ice. It’s nearly effortless when he lifts Jongdae into a full lift above his head, and then brings him down smooth into the ice so that they can mirror each other in a couple of step sequences, soon into a few more jumps and the more difficult throws in combination with those. 

Before he knows it, he’s helping Jongdae pose on his knees, there for no more than an instant before they’re posing in stillness, nothing but the sound of their breaths between them, eyes and flushed faces between them. 

Jongdae smiles at him and Minseok smiles back a little, a sign that they had done it, and he feels that little bubble of warmth in his chest again that signals a job well done. But that soon bursts as he turns to Yixing standing at the side of the rink, instead of the dimpled smile he’d become accustomed to see from the man, instead was this analytical, unreadable expression. 

Somehow Minseok knew that Jongdae was feeling that too. 

“What’s wrong?” Jongdae is the first to break the silence, his clear tone cutting through the air as he drops Minseok’s hand to skate a little forward towards Yixing. 

Sharp brown eyes dart between the two of them, his expression still mostly straight. “Have you two spent anytime together.” He shifts his clipboard. “Outside of our practices?” 

Minseok blinks for a moment, once again he and Jongdae briefly looking at each other before, he himself thinks about it, his own routine realizing with slight horror the only times that he had seen the other skater is before their practices, during, and then for a brief time after before they parted ways, and then maybe they would have some communication on their phones. 

“No…” Minseok frowns. “We haven’t.” 

Yixing nods. “Hmm… that makes sense.” He sets down the clipboard, placing it in his backpack. “I’m giving you homework, mandatory bonding time. Although you executed all of the movements technically sound… It was lacking…” 

“Warmth?” Jongdae offers, sounding a bit hesitant. 

Yixing nods. “Yes, warmth, your spark is there. But we need a fire now.” he picks up his back. “Let's call it early, you’ve both worked hard in a short amount of time.” 

Minseok leaves feeling a little bit down that night, even when Jongdae gives him a reassuring smile. 


End file.
